Alflaila wins again for Burrows

Ashley Iveson
October 8, 2022 5:00 pm

A possible trip to Bahrain is on the cards.

Alflaila continued his impressive rise through the ranks when winning the Masar Darley Stakes at Newmarket.

Bar a lacklustre run in the Jersey at Royal Ascot, the Owen Burrows-trained three-year-old has been a model of consistency this season.

His most recent runs had seen him win a Listed race at Pontefract and a Group Three at York and he carried a penalty against older horses on this occasion.

As he tends to, Alflaila was off the bridle entering the final furlong but Jim Crowley’s mount found plenty for pressure, powering up the hill to beat Ottoman Fleet by a length and a quarter.

A colt going places!
Alflaila comes from last to first to win the concluding Group 3 Masar Darley Stakes for @ojburrows74 and @JimCrowley1978. He looks like a colt who can compete at the top table next season. pic.twitter.com/plVLShKpOj

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 8, 2022

“Jim doesn’t panic when he gets behind, he lets him find his feet and he comes home strong at the end,” said Burrows.

“If ever they go slow he might be vulnerable but the front two pulled nicely clear there.

“By winning the Strensall at York he qualified for Bahrain so we’ll talk with Sheikha Hissa (owner) and see of she wants to do that because he’s going to be a nice four-year-old next season.

“Of the horses Shadwell left with me, we thought him the nicest and thankfully it has proved that way.”

Azure Blue wins at @NewmarketRace for the third time this year for @mdodsracing pic.twitter.com/Z4yjLwryAG
— Ashley Iveson (@AshIveson) October 8, 2022

The Michael Dods-trained Azure Blue notched her third course win of the season in the Blue Point British EBF Boadicea Stakes.

Stepping up to Listed class after impressing in handicap company little over a fortnight ago, the well backed 9-2 joint-favourite proved more than up to the task – scoring comfortably by a length and a half in the hands of Cesarewitch-winning jockey David Egan.

Dods, who also saddled the other joint-favourite Gale Force Maya, who finished fourth, said: “I was travelling and I’ve only watched it on my phone, but she (Azure Blue) looked to do it nicely.

“She’s always strong at the end of the race, which is good, and she likes a fast pace.

“She’s a big horse, so whatever she did this year was always going to be a bonus. We’ll put her away now and look forward to next season.”

Desert Order (left) battles to victory under William Buick (Tim Goode/PA)

Convivial Maiden winner Desert Order (11-10 favourite) lunged late to claim top honours in the Too Darn Hot Nursery – completing a treble on the card for Charlie Appleby and William Buick following the earlier successes of Flying Honours in the Zetland Stakes and Silver Knott in the Autumn Stakes.

Appleby said: “We were very pleased with what he achieved on his last start and he’s come forward for that.

“The plan was actually to ride him a bit more handy, but there was a good pace on. It was a bit of a messy race in the finish, but Will found the line and he’s a horse with plenty of substance who could develop into a nice three-year-old.”